Burnt again
Sorry, GC – I thought I sent this to you – but I actually sent it to myself! Ack! Ah well, as nobody mentioned it – here’s mine… I knew Shenmue would get a mention and that’s a good choice. Not sure if Sega really want to lose any more money on this franchise, though.

Then there’ll be Final Fantasy VII HD. Perhaps with a fully recorded voice cast and a better translated script. But, don’t kid yourselves boys and girls: Cloud Strife has more chance getting to third base with Aeris. Or Cait Sith actually being funny.

No. I would really love to see Skies Of Arcadia HD. And now I’m going to wax lyrical about it. The game is awesome. There are characters with charm and charisma. Aika is still one of the funniest characters in gaming. It never settled into an overly predictable or boring routine. It was accessible. The random battles may have been far too numerous, (the game even admits as such by giving you an item to reduce their frequency) but they’re fairly painless. Despite a few spikes that you’d be wise to prepare for there is no real need to grind. You’re always the level you need to be.

The game still looks good in standard definition – a nice, simple art style that’s timeless and would look even better with a new, shiny look. Oh yes. It would also be nice to choose between the vanilla and Legends versions, as I don’t really think the new content added for the GameCube release added all that much, but it would be nice to have the option.

True, this is also a little unlikely given it’s Sega and not Activision we’re talking about. And Sega have been poorly since the Saturn days. But, if they can hold on to a few yen for a few months, then I don’t see how this could make a loss for them. Or did they get badly burned when they released Jet Set Radio and NiGHTS HD?DMR

All or nothing
I find HD remakes are a lazy cop out for companies to make a quick buck, rather than making an actual new version of a game. A prime example was the HD Zone Of The Enders on the Xbox 360, it was extremely dull. I remember loving the originals as a youngster on PlayStation 2 but nostalgia often clouds the fact that old games just don’t have the same appeal. To summarise, either remake a title from the ground up or create a sequel.Raymo

Late again
Yet again I forgot to write in to the Hot Topic, but it would appear that I am the only one that would be happy to see an HD remake of the original Syphon Filter trilogy on PS one. Those games are among my favourite ever, I spent my first ever pay packet on Syphon Filter 2 on release day, it was a great feeling! I would also like to second the call to remake Future Cop and Psi-Ops, and maybe a remake of Team Buddies could round it all off.Keef25 (PSN ID)

Best example
David ‘Daley’ Thompson’s suggestion of PS one (and Dreamcast) game Panzer Front being remade in HD for the current generation struck me as one of the few from the Weekend Topic that actually worthy of consideration. Most of the rest were simply games people want to be able to play again on their oversize modern TVs and not look horrible.

With Panzer Front the gameplay itself was flawed by the graphics capabilities of the platforms it was made for. Even the Japanese NTSC only DC version suffered. An HD remake would elevate this game from great but flawed to arguably the best console tank combat game ever made.

In fact the version that needs to be remade in HD is actually the Japanese NTSC only Panzer Front Bis. It added a few new missions, some more tanks and a very weird story mode involving Nazis and demon-controlled tanks but its killer feature was a level editor. There are probably more than fifty user-created missions that were released via gaming websites at the time as PS one game saves. Some of them are considered by fans as good or better than the orginial game’s missions. They are now impossible to source, probably preserved only on long forgotten PS memory cards.

An HD remake of Panzer Front might be the only way these creations will ever see the light of day again they so deserve. GC Inbox Magic please do your work.Malcolm Lawn

Plus costs
As a PlayStation Plus and Xbox Gold member, I was thinking about which is better and are they worth it. To be honest, I gave up my Xbox Gold account and reverted back to Silver, until the Games with Gold turned up. I then purchased a 12 month gold card for £30. Whilst the free games are old games, at least you can keep them even if you revert back to Silver.

The PlayStation Plus free games system gives you newer games on a free (well £40 a year fee anyway) rental basis, which got me thinking about the PS Vita. Surely if PS Vita games are free to play, like Gravity Rush, Uncharted, and Jak And Daxter, three of the console’s biggest games, then are there any people actually buying Vita games? How do third party firms make money via PlayStation Plus? Surely Sony keep the majority of your £40 fee? Also, if the PlayStation 4 has the same service, will this harm game sales in the future?Dark Anima X (gamertag/PSN ID/Nintendo ID)

GC: Apparently Sony negotiate prices on a game-by-game basis. What exactly they pay is unknown but every publisher has to be compensated.

Damned common sense
I’d just like to say how shocked and disgusted I felt after reading Luke Jones’ feature about GTA V. How dare he give a thoughtful,considered and even-handed analysis of the issue? How dare he actually address arguments, rather than just list them and not actually tie them into the point he’s trying to make!The world doesn’t need thoughtfulness and even-handedness, it needs rampant sensationalism. It needs more Sparta(‘)s Edges, less luke Joneses. We need more right wing press, less… OK, I’m struggling to think of a genuinely thoughtful and even-handed news publication (Private Eye is the closest I can think of but that really is more of a satirical publication). People like Luke Jones should hang their headsin shame.College Know It All Libertarian

Response response
RE: Luke Jones. I read with interest your weekend feature to counter my last weekend feature. You had a couple of interesting points, but ultimately I concluded that you are trying to rationalise and defend minors playing games( specifically GTA V), which any reasonable person would deem is unsuitable for them. Most of your points I’m afraid to say seemed to lack rational and credible points to in parts downright irresponsibility.

You raised some interesting points, such as how is a 17-year-old different to an 18-year-old for example, which i can accept as a valid point for debate, however you lost me on many points, and completely when you said things like ‘So if a teenager can understand that murder is wrong then why shouldn’t they be allowed to play GTA?’What!?

So, by your logic, if a child or young teen knows that its wrong to drink and drive, they should be allowed to drive a car or drink alcohol but not drive? Or if they understand the risks of alcohol and smoking, they should be allowed to drink and smoke? Of course not. Sure there’s kids that are disciplined and taught enough to know right from wrong, but you act like anti-social car stealing etc. kids/teenagers don’t exist, kids that are easily influenced by pop culture and peer pressure.

As I said before, there needs to be a clear set age limit, and being vague and unclear on this would not be helpful or practical to anyone. You need to draw the line somewhere, which naturally means one year is okay, while the one under that is not, the same as smoking, drinking driving,voting and many things in life. You can’t do it without a line.Spartas Edge

GC: We’ve edited your letter for length, the original was longer than most reader’s features.

The meta of Zelda
Whilst playing Zelda: The Wind Waker HD this weekend I stumbled across The Nintendo Gallery on Forest Haven and on speaking with the proprietor, he had this to say (see screenshot)… Are Nintendo getting cheeky in their old age?! Was the same comment made in the original version GC? It just seems quite appropriate given Ninty’s current situation with Wii U!Sam Phelps

GC: That’s hilarious. We don’t remember it from the original but perhaps a reader can confirm whether it’s new.

Who says Nintendo doesn’t acknowledge criticism?

Inbox also-rans
Where have all the gaming TVs shows gone? When I was in my early teens (I’m now 33) there was GamesMaster and Bad Influence to look forward to after school. Gaming must be the biggest entertainment business now, so why no TV shows?arronburton (PSN ID)

GC: We fear YouTube has ended any lingering chance that TV might take gaming seriously. Although there are a few shows on non-terrestrial channels.

Sonic is all about speed, and imaginative, gravity defying loops and levels. Guess what else that sounds like? F-Zero GX. Someone remind me who made that again?B3rnie Mac

This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader JAH, who wants to know what you think is the future of handheld gaming?

Do you think that smartphones and tablets can coexist forever with dedicated portable consoles? Or are the likes of the 3DS and PS Vita part of a declining market? If portable consoles do cease to be then what will this mean given the lack of physical controls on a smartphone/tablet and the difficulty of charging normal video game prices?

How much do you play on portable consoles versus mobile devices, and how much versus home console and the PC? Has this changed recently and why? What would you like to see from a next generation Nintendo or Sony console and do you think there will be one? What other company would you like to see create a dedicated portable gaming device and what benefits do you think it would bring?